How Medical Schools Select Students?

Medical schools look at a number of factors when selecting their students.Applicants must present the following credentials in order to be considered for admission to medical school:

How Medical Schools Select Students?

1.-Bachelor’s degree in any major: medical schools do not require a particular undergraduate major. It is not uncommon for pre-med students to major in the humanities, or social and behavioral sciences. You can select from among a variety of majors, including such as business administration, bioengineering, pharmacy, or social work. However, many pre-med students pursue an undergraduate degree in biology, chemistry, or neuroscience because they are interested in the sciences and many of the courses required for these majors coincide with the preparatory course work needed for medical school

2. Better than average grades in all courses: those with recent science GPA’s below about 3.3 are not likely to be admitted except under very special circumstances, and 3.5 is a good target to shoot for. Those accepted with lower GPA’s are always able to point to good reasons for the low grades, and they offer unusual evidence of promise for the medical profession. This is especially true of older applicants, and of those changing careers.

4. Letters of Recommendation: you can get letters of recommendation from people familiar with your intellectual potential, and commitment to medicine. These will be people who can speak of specific achievements rather than people who say vaguely what a nice person you are. Get to know several professors early in your college career so they can provide a compelling recommendation on your behalf.

5. Positive impressions in a personal interview: this is an opportunity to inform the school of factors not reflected in your GPA or your application. Consequently, it is important to have a clear sense of your motivation and your goals and to articulate them effectively.